Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim

Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim (1729–81),
German dramatist and critic. In his 17th Literaturbrief (1759) and in Hamburgische Dramaturgie (1767–69) he justified Shakespeare from a rationalist point of view and recommended English drama in general as a model preferable to that of French classicism. His plea paved the way towards classic German drama.

Werner Habicht